How to Celebrate Halloween at the Beach

With Halloween only a few days away, we hope you’re not waiting until the last minute to get your costume together – you’ve got some candy to stock up on, right? And while Halloween here in the U.S. is that one day of the year it’s acceptable to go door-to-door to asking for lots of sweet treats, we thought it might be best to celebrate Halloween like our lovely friends in the Caribbean & Mexico. While Halloween isn’t wildly celebrated throughout the Caribbean & Mexico like you’d probably imagine, it is home to some spooky places and a celebration or two. Let’s explore Halloween at the beach.

Shipwrecks: Explore the Watery Graves

Our first site to see can be found in the deep, dark waters of the Atlantic. You’ll want to put on your dive equipment to truly explore these parts. The Caribbean Sea is littered with 400 years of shipwrecks, ranging from Spanish ships that sunk in hurricanes to old war boats from World War II. For instance, just off the coast of Barbados in 2006, a yacht was found with the petrified bodies of 11 immigrants bound for the Canary Islands.

Photo credit: NOAA's National Ocean Service

With an area of ocean so heavily populated with sunken ships along with the stories & secrets of their crew, these watery graveyards are sure to give you an icy chill as you submerge yourself among the tragedies.

Blackbeard: Dead or Alive?

It’s not news that Jamaica & the Bahamas are just a few of the places that were home to some of the most infamous pirate gangs years ago. This Caribbean region is filled with tales of bloody pirate attacks, buried treasure and vivid stories of piracy on the high seas.

Perhaps the most infamous pirate of them all, Edward “Blackbeard” Teach was active in the Caribbean from 1716-1718 and known to wreck havoc to anyone he came into contact with. Not only was he known for his “demonic-like” appearance, but he also spent most of his reign in the Caribbean terrorizing the islands and other pirates.

Not only does the legend of a monstrous & powerful pirate live on to this day, it’s rumored that Captain Blackbeard’s ghost still haunts Old Fort Nassau, located at the British Colonial Hilton. So if an evening spent on the hunt for one of the Caribbean’s most notorious legends and enjoying 4.5 stars of amazing luxury is your idea of the perfect getaway, then an investigative stay at British Colonial Hilton is an absolute must.

In fact…it’s safe to say we’ve assigned you a mission. Let Operation: Blackbeard commence. We expect a full report upon arriving home.

Day of the Dead: Mexico’s True Celebration

So as we’re busy getting dressed up in our most creative Halloween costumes, there’s a celebration that takes place in Mexico that’s known to be one of the largest celebrations in the country and in the world. Mexico’s Day of the Dead celebration is a 3-day festival that honors the friends & family members who’ve passed in previous years.

Although the name insinuates that people are celebrating the ghouls & haunts that are known to come out in the U.S. Halloween holiday, this festival is meant to be a way to pray for & remember those who’ve passed away. It starts on October 31st with All Hallows’ Eve, continues with All Saints’ Day on November 1st & All Souls’ Day on November 3rd.

Photo credit: Paul Asman & Jill Lenoable

With tracings back as far as 3000 years ago, the festival is often celebrated with marigolds, the flowers of the dead; muertos, the bread of the dead; sugar skulls & cardboard skeletons; tissue paper decorations; fruits, nuts, incense; and other traditional foods & decorations. Often times, families will make plans to shower the graves of their loved ones with “ofrendas” or gifts so that the souls will hear their prayers. The Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico often taken on a humorous tone as people remember funny events and positive traits of the departed.

So if you’re looking to celebrate Halloween a little bit more unconventionally this year, you’ve got a few ideas on how Halloween could potentially be celebrated in the Caribbean & Mexico.

And with that, it only leaves one question…how are you celebrating Halloween this year? Share your plans and ideas in the comment section below. Happy Halloween!